SAAF Soldiering On

Lt General Mbambo discussed the challenges the SAAF is facing in meeting these responsibilities with extremely limited resources. He said: “The SAAF is in the midst of a storm, with the world punctuated by conflicts and instability. The eagerness to move towards the negotiating table is no longer there, with international bodies proving weak in resolving conflicts and a growing appetite to resolve conflicts through the barrel of a gun. The Israel/Palestine and Ukraine conflicts are stark examples.”

South African defence minister, Thandi Modise, has stated that approximately 85 per cent of the SAAF's aircraft are currently “out of action”, with most airframes awaiting servicing, spare parts and/or repairs. For Mbambo, this means that his primary concern revolves around the SAAF’s ability to fulfil its obligations effectively. These obligations include participating in peacekeeping operations, safeguarding national borders and combating illegal activities.

Mbambo stressed that the significant responsibilities of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) extended beyond traditional military roles. He highlighted their involvement in societal duties like responding to natural disasters and fires.

Mbambo said that defence funding should not be at the bottom of the priority list. He explained the SAAF is working diligently with what it has and is “sweating assets”.

“Closer to home, the embers of Cabo Delgado and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have not died down yet, and are flaring up, while humanitarian disasters are increasing, including wildfires and floods, meaning SAAF assets are in high demand. With a lack of strategic air lift capability, our people around the world are sitting ducks,” he said.

In terms of its African peacekeeping responsibilities, SAAF assets are currently committed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique. In May 2024 there was a large airlift of SAAF assets from Upington, significantly using chartered Ilyushin Il-76 transports instead of the SAAF’s few remaining airworthy Lockheed Martin C-130s, to support the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC).

Reporting on the SAAF command council strategic work session, Mbambo said: “The SANDF plays a pivotal role in maintaining the nation's security and assisting in various domestic and international situations and a lack of adequate funding poses significant challenges.”

Mbambo has emphasised the far-reaching consequences and risks of insufficient financial support for the air force, and the SANDF as a whole.

Drawing a parallel between a household budget and the defence force's financial situation, Mbambo pointed out that when funds are scarce, difficult decisions must be made to manage within those constraints and unpopular choices become a necessity. Just as a household must cut back on expenses during tough times, the SAAF is implementing cost-saving measures and striving to stay within its budget. However, aviation safety must not be compromised during this process,” he said.

The findings of a recent SAAF strategic work session identified key under-resourcing problem areas as: unavailability of aircraft, lack of spares, procurement issues, shortage of uniforms, and more. Noteworthy too is that unserviceable air conditioning at the SAAF headquarters “has rendered the building uninhabitable”.

Mbambo said: “If we can resolve all these issues, starting with command and control, we will be able to hold each other and ourselves accountable.”

He emphasised the importance of investing in in-house capabilities, investing in personnel training and fostering a culture of innovation and seeking efficiencies to ensure essential tasks are managed effectively within constrained budgets. This approach allows the SAAF to make the most of limited resources and maintain its readiness.

In a recent “Defenceweb” interview, Mbambo acknowledged the difficulties and complexities of the current situation, but emphasised the commitment to maintaining the readiness and serviceability of the SAAF.

He also highlighted the need for other relevant supporting departments, like Armscor, to fulfil their mandates, particularly in successfully placing essential contracts for the benefit of the defence force.

Aside from its funding constraints, the SAAF came under criticism for lowering its fitness standards for commissioned officers. More than half of the candidates for the SAAF’s officers’ forming course (OFC) failed to pass the fitness test that formed part of the entrance requirements.

Controversially, Mbambo initially ordered that the course proceed as planned. “The SAAF should consider affording these aspirant officers an opportunity to be officers’-course qualified. It would be in the best interest of both the organisation and indeed its members, particularly those who passed the fitness test, to be allowed to proceed with the OFC. A once-off waiver should be granted to the nine learners who failed the fitness test,” he said.

In his directive, Mbambo stated that those who failed the fitness test should “gradually and progressively” prepare themselves to pass the fitness test two months into the OFC. However, this qualified approval was later rescinded and the course was cancelled.

Commenting about the “total wellness” of the SAAF, Mbambo said: “The South African Air Force vision of projecting effective air and space power through innovation in the theatre of our operations will remain a pipe-dream unless we address the matter of total wellness of our people.

“Unless our people are totally well in all these areas, they cannot perform to their maximum capacity. At the moment, the members of the air force are incapable of delivering to their full potential due to these hindrances,” he said.

The SAAF has also been active in developing the South African Space Command (SASCS) which is expected to manage and coordinate all defence-related space activities, collaborating with the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and other government agencies.

Mbambo says that establishing SASCS represents a notable advancement for South Africa, reflecting the country’s renewed focus on space exploration and technology. Similarly, this development holds great potential for defence and beneficial impacts across multiple sectors, such as telecommunications, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

To facilitate the smooth implementation of South Africa’s national space strategy, the space command integrated planning team (SCIPT) was formed to lead the establishment of a dedicated SASCS within the South African Air Force (SAAF). Mbambo noted that SCIPT consists of “highly skilled military practitioners and has achieved significant advancements within a short period since its establishment in 2022”.

He noted that the SCIPT team has collaborated with public and private entities at both local and international levels.

“This collaboration has fostered a unified effort in implementing the national space strategy. It has nearly completed the groundwork, including mapping local capabilities and incorporating future planning mechanisms from industry experts and the federal government,” he said.

Furthermore, SCIPT has undertaken several international engagements to ensure the SAAF aligns with the best global practices. This includes a partnership with the Italian Air Force to gain insights and experiences from implementing the Italian Defence Force space operations command.

In addition, arrangements with other allied nations are under way, cementing South Africa’s commitment to embracing international standards and knowledge.

“By leveraging these collaborations, the SAAF is positioning itself at the forefront of space capabilities, actively contributing to national development,” Mbambo explained.

Both Mbambo and general Rudzani Maphwanya, the chief of the national defence force, have publicly remarked on the challenges of harsh budget constraints. Mbambo expressed the hope that ongoing discussions and appeals to government bodies, led by the minister of defence, will prompt a positive response in terms of increased funding for the defence sector.

“The price tag to maintain SAAF assets is very high,” Mbambo concluded, with the reality being a lack of adequate funding for defence.

“Parliament’s comments on defence and the ministers of defence have presented the funding case, and we are optimistic this storm shall pass away.”